Peter Howson-A Perspective

http://curiouspresbyterian.wordpress.com

Above are two paintings by 'theological' painter Peter Howson.
According to Wikipedia 'Theology (from Ancient Greek Θεός meaning "God" and λόγος, -logy, meaning "study of") is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.<sup>[1]'

I prefer to refer to him as Peter Howson, painter, not due to my personal feelings about religion, but because I'm sure he would not refer to himself as a 'theological painter.' Who would?
I discovered the work of Peter Howson due to a BBC documentary which chronicled his life and near break-down during his attempt to complete a commission from the church to paint The Martyrdom of St John Ogilvie, a Scottish Saint.
Peter Howson,OBE was the official painter of the Bosnian War, a former drug addict and alcoholic he 'found God' in 2000.
His work is dark, often depicting the ugliness, desperation and despair of humanity, but rendered in a sublime, ethereal way.
He uses light, shade and perspective to dramatic effect and the grotesque, bulbous, anatomical representations of the subjects of his works echo the horror of war and the bloated, twisted minds and egos of the men who create it.
Peter Howson is from a rough, tough world. Born in London and raised on the mean streets of Glasgow in the 70's and 80's, the characters he portrays are characatures, but they are also brutally real. Their eyes speak of sadness and madness...and knowledge, and pity.
I think they are beautiful. An honest study of the human figure, and regardless of my views on religion, I still believe that religious texts are part of the human story, a commentary on all facets of the human condition; life, love, death, greed, hate, jealousy, ignorance, hope, glory, determination, the search for eternal happiness and the fight against damnation.
Howson's paintings are dark and light, soft and hard, damning and forgiving, beautiful and ugly.
If religion is what gets him out of bed in the morning, then who the hell are we to judge?!</sup>

Mary Blair-Disney Legend

mary blair-vintage disney

CREATIVE's BLOK: Official Warning Signs

CREATIVE's BLOK: Official Warning Signs: Photography research on the streets by D . See more here . ...

Robert Atwan, the founder of The Best American Essays series, picks the 10 best essays of the postwar period.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/54337-the-top-10-essays-since-1950.html

Edward Hopper-Pitiless on Canvas and in Marriage

BOOKS OF THE TIMES; Pitiless on Canvas and in Marriage By CHRISTOPHER LEHMANN-HAUPT Published: October 19, 1995

Kate and Eilidh do science...

Project number 5, 7 steps to enlightenment, 2 partners, 10 days, 1 question...

How does a Sat Nav work??

 And so Kate and Eilidh set out on a journey to find the answer to this intriguing question...

 'That's easy' I hear you cry! 'A little man named Tom Tom lives in the little box on your dashboard and uses magic maps and his powers of navigation to guide you safely to your destination!'
Not quite.
It's actually rather clever, and interesting! In order to find out how Sat Nav works, we need to find out, not only how a Satellite Navigation Receiver works, but also how GPS (Global Positioning System) works, and therefore, how GPS satellites work! It's all very sciency and techy, and luckily, I am a wannabe science geek, so find it all fascinating. This project has allowed me to indulge my love of art (we must illustrate our findings in 7 easy steps) and science! Cool beanz!

And here's the science bit! The answer involves 'Ephemeris data', 'Almanac data' and 'Pseudo Random Code.' In the most basic terms, the receiver is activated when it picks up the signal from 4 satellites (of which there are 24 orbiting the Earth, each emitting a continual signal, unique to each satellite.) The Satellites 'triangulate' or to use the correct terminology, 'trilaterate' the receiver's location, taking into account latitudal and longitudal co-ordinates, and attain accuracy due to their on-board, synchronised atomic clocks. On activation, the receiver selects the relevant map from it's software, and the hardware utilises previously installed settings to communicate the information to you, the driver, via a computer screen and audio instructions!!! And voila! Fanny's your Aunt and Robert's your Mother's Brother!!

Capiche?

Street Tart

Street Art-Contemporary Prints from the V & A

This street tart went to see some street art yesterday. Except it wasn't on the street. And therein lies the problem. This was artwork by street art and graffiti artists from around the world, presented out of context, not in it's gritty home in the favelas of Brazil or the arrondisements of Paris, but displayed very nicely and orderly on the clean, white, clinical walls of an art gallery in Carlisle. I felt that with the absence of a cultural setting something was lost. Instead of being 'street art' this was just 'art.' Don't get me wrong. Some of it was very nice art. The very nature of street art is that it 'lifts' iconic images and juxtaposes them to create meaning, perhaps I am jaded but I just felt that I'd seen it all before. It felt somehow, lazy. Perhaps I am missing the point. Perhaps this exhibition was about bringing 'classic' street art images to Carlisle, I suppose when these images were new, they were groundbreaking and set the stall for other aspiring artists from disadvantaged areas. But when the images are painted on canvas instead of brick, and screen printed on silk instead of stencilled on a wall, they become just another magazine spread or funky shoe box, instead of a comment on social  and political injustice or an endeavor to elevate an existence or make a mark on the world.